The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-05

forms of these dogmas, we should stand
reverent before the mysteries which
they clothe. To denounco antiquated
forms Of venerable dogmas, Is needful
and easy. To enounce new and bet
ter forms for these ancient mysteries is
more needful and more difficult. De-
struction is we'll, but reconstruction is
far better. And Of reconstruction the
critics of Christianity are very chary.
The attitude of free thougbt outside of
the churches, toward these Eogmas, is
one of impatience and utteT unbelief.
The attitude of free though within the
churches is one of patient Waiting for
the old faiths in new forms. & Judge ye,
young men, which is wiser.
az Election and Atonement. "Even
such great doctrines as tie catholic
creeds have worthily stated must still
shape themselves in the <nd5 Of ig-
norant men after grotesque fashions"
"Our own" (EpiscopaD sFth Article
of Religion" thus speaks On this sub
ject, (Predestination) Predestina-
tion to life is the everlasting purpose
of God, whereby (before the founda-
tions of the world were laidl he hath
constantly decreed by his counsel, secret
to us, to deliver from curse and dam
nation those whom he hath chosen in
Christ out of mankind, and to bring
them bv Christ to everlasting salvation,
as vessels made to honor. "This is
couched in very cautious language. 1t
avoids most Of the difficulties that are
raised by such belief cancffning mans
free will. 1t afiirms nothing whatever
concerning the necessary antithesis of
a Divine choice of some, Ie., Divine
rejection of others. 1t Wa4 in fact, de-
signed to express very nqoderate Cal
vinism, and to include as Tar as possi-
BILE those who scrupled at this doctrine
altogether. To know what this doc
trine was really capable Of becoming,
we need only to refer to me one Con-
fession of Faith, whose irfamy it is to
have no equal in the eua&rseless logic
which stops at no folly land shrinks
from no blasphemy ina3l& name of a
Christian theology. The Westminster
Confession is the very petrifaction of
religion in dogma. 1t is christianity
suffering a complete ossifieation of the
heart. 1t is a blaspheray not easily
outdone by the most safrilsgious of in
fidels. .sWe hear the E:3ls{ who was
ever in the bosom of the Father, sigh
ing-'Oh righteous Father, the world
hath not known thee; but l have known
thee.' Thank God that this awful vis-
ion is fading out of the human mind.
What then is the actual problem which
our fathers confronted when they fash
ioned this dogma ? Some power is
exercising a selection among all living
things, from grasses up to man; picking
out one race for preservation, and let
ting another race be crowded out Of ex-
istence; choosing by some decree, whom
it will save, and whom it will allow to
be destroyed; mystic mighty force,
before which everything succumbs; the
force which is directing the whole
movement of life, the history of the
earth. Whether we call that choos-
ing out, an election or a selection,
whether we call the power thus choos-
ing God or nature, we face one and the
same mysterious reality"
mature selects her races, not out of
arbitrariness, but because they are fit
ted for her purposes. And the sfittest'
does not merely mean the best adapted
to the special conditions of the con-
tending races; it means, in the long
run, the best adapted to carry the or
ganic ascent of life higher. And
thus we turn back to the Old Bible,
where the church found her doctrine of
a Divine Election to see that it, too,
was in reality just such choice-not
of arbitrariness, but Of reason; not of
bat of just and loving care
for the good Of the whole family of God.
The Divine election of Israel, concern
ing which the prophets spake, was a
choice of Israel, not to private privi-
lege, but to universal service fore
ordination, not to selfish enjoyment,
but to an unselfish ministry an en-
dowment of one people, not with a
monopoly, but with trust. When we
turn to the New Testament, we find
that the Divine election therein preach
ed, is not an election of certain individ-
uals, on whom the love of God might
rest; but an election of certain individ-
uals, as the means through whom the
love of God might reach to all the world.
The elect are not the petted favorites
of the Eternal, but his trusted servants,
singled out for training which should
fit them to carry on the gracious pur-
poses of the good kings government.
They are saved out of sin, that they
may be the chosen means of saving
mankind, the whole human race here
and hereafter. Read st. Paul carefully
and you will find that this is what he
means; and finding this, great light
will break in upon your mind, and you
will perceive that at the core of even